“Design for Living”: A Pre-Code Tale of Love, Art, and Compromise

Directed by Ernst Lubitsch, Design for Living (1933) is a sophisticated pre-Code romantic comedy about an unusual love triangle that forms in Paris. The story begins on a train where Gilda Farrell (Miriam Hopkins), an independent commercial artist, meets two struggling American artists: painter George Curtis (Gary Cooper) and playwright Tom Chambers (Fredric March). Intrigued by both men and unable to choose between them, Gilda proposes a “gentleman’s agreement”: she will move into their shared apartment as a platonic muse, critic, and friend to help guide their careers, with sex strictly off the table.

This platonic arrangement quickly unravels as professional success and romantic temptations test the trio’s bond. When Tom leaves for London to oversee the production of his newly written play, Gilda and George succumb to their feelings and begin a romantic affair. Upon Tom’s return, feelings of jealousy, betrayal, and passion resurface, throwing their living arrangement into chaos. Overwhelmed by the emotional drama, Gilda attempts to seek stability elsewhere by stepping away from their bohemian lifestyle.

Desperate for security, Gilda marries Max Plunkett (Edward Everett Horton), a conservative and wealthy advertising executive. However, her new life of domestic propriety and high-society parties leaves her deeply unfulfilled. When Tom and George crash her husband’s lavish gathering, the two men realize they miss Gilda as much as she misses them, forcing the trio to reconsider their unconventional dynamic and decide if they can design a way of living that suits all three of them.

 

Ernst Lubitsch (1892 – 1947) was an influential German-born director, producer, and actor who became one of Hollywood’s most revered filmmakers. Beginning his career in Germany's silent film industry, he moved to Hollywood in the 1920s and developed a celebrated directorial style known as “the Lubitsch Touch”—characterized by visual wit, urbanity, and subtle double entendres. His acclaimed works include Trouble in Paradise (1932), Ninotchka (1939), The Shop Around the Corner (1940), and To Be or Not to Be (1942).

Gary Cooper (1901 – 1961) was an iconic American actor renowned for his understated performance style and tall, rugged screen presence. Though best remembered for his definitive roles in Westerns and dramas—winning Academy Awards for Best Actor in Sergeant York (1941) and High Noon (1952)—he displayed impressive comic range in pre-Code movies like Design for Living and romantic comedies such as Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) and Ball of Fire (1941).

Gary Cooper (1901 – 1961) was an iconic American actor renowned for his understated performance style and tall, rugged screen presence. Though best remembered for his definitive roles in Westerns and dramas—winning Academy Awards for Best Actor in Sergeant York (1941) and High Noon (1952)—he displayed impressive comic range in pre-Code movies like Design for Living and romantic comedies such as Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) and Ball of Fire (1941).

Miriam Hopkins (1902 – 1972) was an American actress who became one of early sound cinema’s leading stars, known for her sharp intelligence, screen intensity, and comic timing. She frequently collaborated with director Ernst Lubitsch, delivering memorable performances in The Smiling Lieutenant (1931), Trouble in Paradise (1932), and Design for Living (1933). She was also nominated for an Academy Award for her title role in Becky Sharp (1935), the first feature-length Technicolor film.

 

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Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, and Gary Cooper

Design for Living trivia

• Screenwriter Ben Hecht completely reworked Noël Coward's stage play for the film adaptation, discarding almost all the original dialogue. Coward famously quipped that only three lines survived from his original play, including “Pass the mustard” and “for the good of our immortal souls.”
• The role of George was originally meant for Douglas Fairbanks Jr., but he contracted pneumonia right before production began, leading Ernst Lubitsch to cast Western and action star Gary Cooper in a rare comedic role.
• Nazi Germany’s Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, banned Design for Living upon its release, stating that the film was unacceptable because of the ironic manner in which it treated the institution of marriage.
• Released in late 1933 during the pre-Code era, the film faced severe censorship hurdles shortly after its release; when the Production Code Administration began strictly enforcing Hollywood moral guidelines in 1934, Design for Living was refused a seal for re-release due to its non-traditional relationship themes.

 

Discussion Questions

1. How does Design for Living challenge traditional Hollywood gender roles and expectations regarding romantic relationships, particularly through the character of Gilda?
2. In what ways does Ernst Lubitsch use visual humor and implicit storytelling “the Lubitsch Touch”) to convey romantic and sexual themes without openly breaking censorship limits of the era?
3. Compare the character of Max Plunkett with Tom and George. How does his character represent society’s conventional views on marriage and stability versus bohemian freedom?
4. How do you think the tone and resolution of Design for Living would change if the film were produced after the strict enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code in mid-1934?